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Buffalo Slaughter and Dry Land Fish Hunt


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#1 Guest_Casper_*

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Posted 21 April 2011 - 05:34 PM

Buffalo Slaughter and Dry Land Fish Hunt

Gary Williams and i rented a cabin alongside Citico Creek in April of this year. The event was the Buffalo spring spawning event which brought 10s of thousands of Buffalo along with Suckers, Redhorses and Trout out of the Tellico reservoir located just downstream. This has been documented annually during the last several years by Jim Herrig of the Cherokee National Forest. Our cabin reservation dates ended up being several days after the run but we did see some stragglers and other species, the carnage and smelled the rotting fish thrown up on the banks. A legal activity here in Tennessee, and endorsed by TWRA, is to cast out big treble hooks and yank the spawning fish out of the water. Some folks throw them back in the water but many just throw them on the bank to rot, considering them worthless trash fish. Some take pickup truck loads home to feed their hogs, plant in the garden or use as coyote bait. Hardly anyone will stoop to such low behavior as eating them.

We got into the water Friday morning, Gary in his dry suit and myself double layered with 2 wetsuits, hood, socks and gloves. I felt like wide rubber bands were stretched all over my body at critcal joints and was cold, awkward and very uncomfortable in my first native water snorkel of the year. 55 degrees was the temp and well below my line of comfort but we stuck with it for a couple hours with Gary finally relenting after having his Adam's apple stuck either above or below the ever tightening neck stranglehold of his rubber banded collar. I insisted on earning my due and swam upstream into a pod of unknown suckers. My camera skills were rusty and dexterity clumsy with thick gloves and very few shots were worthy of sharing, though a few sights and pictures were memorable. I eased into an eddy pool and was meet with tuberculed Stripe Shiners, handsome Stonerollers, a dozen small yellow Perch and the most interesting, about 30 Logperch gathered at the center of the pool. I could detect no specific behavior among them other than the typical nose flipping of stones. I pushed myself back into a root wad and perched myself hoping to determine why they were all gathered together. Years ago i caught sight of a mass of Loggies swarming among riffles and cobble in a small mountain creek feeding Lake Chickamauga, and i now assume they were spawning. Perhaps these Logperch had gathered for a similiar event but i eventually grew impatient and cold while waiting for something to happen.

With a relieved Gary heading back to the vehicle and then a short drive to the bridge, i continued snorkeling upstream and came across a mortally wounded buffalo, a spear or arrow had been plunged through his back, high and centered. The Buffalo lay on his side, pelvic fins barely waving and his small sucker mouth gasping, but the eyes were still bright and clear. I picked him up, held him to my belly and waded through the deep water upstream to the bridge where Gary retrieved my filet knife and we relieved his suffering with a quick, deep, bloody plunge into the skull. A cedar board had been left by a fella from Kentucky and we used it to dress the Buffalo removing the rib area and backstrap and rinsing them clean in the water.

Back at the cabin Gary sharpened my knife and removed the scales and skin and placed the pieces into a pot of salted water and then into the frig. We decided to hunt for a few Morels which grow along stream banks this time of year. I had found a few Yellows the day before and we hoped to add a compliment to what was already gathered. Locally they are known as Dry Land Fish and further into North Carolina they are known as Hickory Chickens for some odd reason. South into North Georgia they are known as Merkels or in proper English "Miracles" as a story speaks of how a young woman and her child siblings were saved from starvation after finding a flush of them. We had a bit of success and prepared a meal that evening fit for fine adventures along the Citico. The Buffalo was breaded in seasoned cornmeal, dipped in egg and beer and then back into the cornmeal before being eased in hot peanut oil. The Morels were simmered slow in salted butter, simple and classic, to bring out their unique taste. One can see how they aquired the name Dry Land Fish and it is not by the taste. The Buffalo was fine and firm and not a hint of muddy muck fishyness, not even in the dark stained mudline. The long ribs were easily pulled from the flesh and the Y bones, also large, were as easily plucked. Redhorse Y bones, on the other hand, are fine and delicate and take patience and dexterity to remove.

It is a shame and dishonor to see these fish wasted for nothing but "sport". To be sure i am glad i was not there to see this activity. The fella from Kentucky however had taken advantage of the Buffalo being pulled from the water and had filled several coolers with the prized cut of ribs, his favored portion, fileted on the cedar plank. Gutted carcasses littered the area below and downstream of the bridge but at least he and his friends and family benefited from the slaughter as opposed to the fish being typically thrown on the bank to rot. The Native Americans looked upon these runs as a blessing and relief from hunger and starvation after a long hard Winter. There are many fish weirs where Indians focused, gathered and speared various species of spawning fish like the Buffalo and Redhorses here in Tennessee or the Sturgeon in the northern waters of Wisconsin.

As for our snorkeling views of Native Fishes that day we caught sight of Tennessee Snubs, Redlines, Gilts, Loggies, bright metallic Blueside Darters ( Maybe a Blotchside and Citico ) and Stripe, Warpaint, Whitetail and Tennessee Shiners their heads starting to glow translucent orange, typical Sunfish, Bass and Trout, Yellow Perch, Bluntnose Minnows, handsome Stonerollers, Hogsuckers, all manner of Redhorses, and Spotted Suckers. If we had been not so cold and more diligent we would have certainly added many more species to this fine location. The Citico is a sister location to our Cherokee National Forest snorkel outings organized by Jim Herrig and guided by him, Gary and myself. Citico Creek is closer to Knoxville and brings in a different community of participants though the Conasauga is much more historically active. We already have 9 dates reserved but also 3 at the Citico this year. Its a good opportunity to visit and see the wonders below the surface.

The cabin, called Broken Arrow, is comfortable and houses and sleeps up to 5 or 6 comfortably. It would make a nice place to rendevous and spend a couple or 3 days while snorkeling this summer. It is only $100 per night, 2 night minimum with a $50 cleaning fee. Camping is free along the creek but as i get older i really enjoy the comfort and convenience after a full day of snorkeling. If we had a few folks interested it would be fun to organize a snorkel gathering this summer. Tieing a NANFA gathering into CNF Citico guide trip would be a bonus as it's about 2 hours from my home in Chattanooga and put me there. July 19 and 28 are dates already selected and i would propose bracketing either of those with a couple days.

If interested, let me know and i will work a plan together. A neat opportunity at a fine location.

Casper

GW-DeadBuffalo-C.JPG

Moldering dead Buffalo. G. Williams

Buffalo.JPG

Mortally wounded Buffalo, ready to die.

GW-BuffaloMeat-C.JPG

Carcass and fresh meat. G. Williams

DryLandFish.JPG

Morels ready for the skillet at Broken Arrow.

Skillet.JPG

Why they are called Dry Land Fish.

Fish&Chips.JPG

Buffalo Fish & Chips, Tennessee Style.

YBones.JPG

Bones, Ribs and Ys.

GW-SpottedSucker-C.JPG

Spotted Sucker, a new dot for Etnier's 2nd edition. G. Williams

TommysRedhorse.JPG

Silver Redhorse, a new dot for Etnier's 2nd edition.

GW-Redline2-C.JPG

Shadowed Redline. G. Williams

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Peeking Redline. G. Williams

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Handsome Stoneroller all decked out. G. Williams

Cabin1.JPG

Broken Arrow Lodging.

Buffalo-DH.jpg

Tuberculed Buffalo. Dave H. of Freshwater Illustrated

GuttedBuffalo.JPG

Carnage.

Edited by Casper, 21 April 2011 - 06:00 PM.


#2 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 21 April 2011 - 06:37 PM

A legal activity here in Tennessee, and endorsed by TWRA, is to cast out big treble hooks and yank the spawning fish out of the water.

I have two questions.

1. Why is this activity encouraged by the TWRA?
2. What is the IUCN status of this 'buffalo'?

#3 Guest_rjmtx_*

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Posted 21 April 2011 - 08:38 PM

I can't speak in specifics about Tennessee, but harvest of these "runs" is common where people still utilize fisheries. It can be done responsibly, and often has no real negative impact on populations (again, if done responsibly). Down here, people go after numerous types of fish during their respective runs, and any population problems we encounter aren't because of recreational fishermen.

I haven't bothered checking the IUCN status of Buffalo, but they are a very common fish in many places I've been. They are extremely common down here, especially in turbid water. I have a feeling (that's good quantitative science for ya) that most Buffalo populations are pretty stable. I could be wrong, but that's the truthiness I feel in my gut right now.

Edited by rjmtx, 21 April 2011 - 08:38 PM.


#4 Guest_wargreen_*

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Posted 21 April 2011 - 09:58 PM

Thats a beautifull looking Silver Redhorse, I happen to agree that its pretty stupid to kill so many natives for no good reason; Suckers are a natural part of our ecosystem and from what Ive read in the past arent near as destructive as non-native carps.

#5 Guest_rjmtx_*

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Posted 21 April 2011 - 11:05 PM

Are they eating the buffalo and suckers, or just killing them? Maybe I've just been around too many Cajuns and assume that everything that moves is eaten...

#6 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 22 April 2011 - 09:56 AM

Most of the fish are just left dead on the shore. At night locals come out and just start shooting them. If it were snagging for an actual harvest, that's one thing. But what happens at this stream is wasteful and indefensible.

Todd

#7 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 22 April 2011 - 10:33 AM

My only real question from seeing this kind of thing is, are they drinking light beer or regular beer?

#8 Guest_countrybumpkin_*

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Posted 22 April 2011 - 01:55 PM

And this is the state I can't go collect a few minnows??

#9 Guest_exasperatus2002_*

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Posted 22 April 2011 - 03:12 PM

Growing up here in PA, We were always told sucker wasnt good eating unless it was in early spring. The rest of the year they were to muddy tasting & was better in the garden then in the fryer.

#10 Guest_FirstChAoS_*

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Posted 22 April 2011 - 05:49 PM

Growing up here in PA, We were always told sucker wasnt good eating unless it was in early spring. The rest of the year they were to muddy tasting & was better in the garden then in the fryer.


I have seen two sucker kills in my lifetime and neither one had the species recover. One was on martin brook where their were always suckers running near where I trout fished each spring. One day I went to fish and suckers were piled up dead on the shore. I never seen suckers again in that spot since.

The next spot was in a small stream by Sams army and navy store in Swanzey. I looked into the stream and seen it teaming with spawning suckers and smaller fish with bright orange sides (not sure of their ID, do male white sucker get a bright orange touch when spawning?). Then a bunch of kids came and speared the suckers. I went to check again that time of year for a few years and never seen them again. This spawning scenario happened the same year the pond the stream flowed into was drained so I am not sure if that had something to do with it.

I called NH fish and game on this and the non-game expert told me not to worry and that white suckers are so common that if a spawn stops it simply means they went elsewhere. I find his answer a bit fishy myself.

#11 Guest_mywan_*

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Posted 23 April 2011 - 04:03 AM

I have no issues with sports fishing whatsoever, but I cannot comprehend the point to killing this way whether they recover or not. If you want to catch and fry some fish save me a plate, but that is ridiculous.

I just bought me a snorkel. I have always went observing mostly at night with a flashlight, but snorkeling looks like it would suit me nicely and I want to see how different the observable species are. Now I just need an underwater camera. I would like to have a waterproof case for the cannon rebel, but that is over a grand for a dependable one by itself. Maybe I will risk a cheaper waterproofer on the cheaper fuji. It has a good optical zoom with a large enough lens to take better photos than any reasonably priced underwater camera. It also works better on auto with controls that are easier to manipulate through a plastic cover.

#12 Guest_NateTessler13_*

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Posted 26 April 2011 - 03:35 PM

Wow, Casper. What a read. Thanks for sharing. That photo by Dave H. of the spawning group of smallmouth buffalo is amazing! The smallmouth buffalo are just starting to hit the riffles in northwestern Ohio. Have you contacted anyone a TWRA about snagging at this site? Although the snagging is legal, I'd hope the littering isn't.

#13 Guest_Mike_*

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Posted 27 April 2011 - 04:27 PM

Here is some emails I sent to Arkansas on the same subject.

As you can see from the responces I got back they only care about sport fish.

Maybe if others respond they will reconcider.

I love to fish, I have done a lot of bowfishing in the past, not so much anymore. Although bowfishing jumping Silver Carp looks like fun.
I never waste the fish, and I have not targeted native fish in over 20 years. I would rather get them on a rod & reel.

I have eaten Common Carp, Bighead Carp, White Sucker, & Spotted Gar. All are very good.

If anyone is interested I can give a fue resapies.

Thanks for shareing Casper, I would be interested in going this summer, but I will need to check how the money is holding out. There are a number of places I have to go this year.

Mike




Tue, August 24, 2010 3:22:58 PMRE: Buffalo fish
From: AskAGFC <AskAGFC@agfc.state.ar.us>Add to Contacts
To: bergmichael@att.net


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



I understand your feelings on this issue and I can assure you our enforcement officers are well aware of this new regulation and they will be watching to see what they come across. Our fisheries biologists will also try to monitor how this new regulation goes this next year. Perhaps if an extremely excessive number of fish (buffalo) are being wasted, then perhaps we will re-evaluate it. There are Bowfishing organizations, such as Bowfishers of AR and if you are interested, you can contact Lee Holt, Biologist in Brinkley, and he can give you their contact info. Lee's number is 1-877-734-4581.



Sincerely,

Andrea C. Daniel

Fisheries Staff Biologist

AR Game and Fish Commission

#2 Natural Resources Dr.

Little Rock, AR 72205

(O) (501) 223-6409

© (501) 680-1910

(F) (501) 223-6461

1-800-364-GAME









Kim Cartwright

Media Specialist

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

501-978-7334 (office)

501-246-0822 (cell)

www.Facebook.com/ARGameandFish

www.Twitter.com/ARGameandFish


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Michael Berg [mailto:bergmichael@att.net]
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 11:14 AM
To: AskAGFC
Subject: Re: Buffalo fish



Thank you,



Bowfishermen can eat the fish they shoot, I used fish (carp) I shot as plant food too. But I always felt bad wasting the carp, dogfish & gar I shot.



I did a little reserch, found resapies, and now I cook any suckers, buffalo, carp, or gar I shoot or keep (rod & reel).

I release all dogfish because they are extreamly fun on a rod & reel, and from what I read are more helpfull then harmfull.



I hope you will stop people from throwing the wasted fish on shore or back in the water to be washed up on shore. The smell of lots of dead fish will cause problems.



Bowfishermen need to be responsible, not to shoot more fish then they can use, not to shoot suckers that are of special concern, threatoned, or endangered. (Examples: people shooting blue suckers in Montana , or the guy that shot a bunch of greator redhorse in Wisconsin .)

Not to throw dead or dieng fish on shore or back in the water. (This has been going on on the Illinois River , I went there to try and shoot some silver carp. The river stank, dead carp floting all around. Nothing like it was 10 years ago when I went there to fish for sauger. The bad thing was the bowfishermen that shot those carp could have disposed of them.)



These things have been giveing bowfishermen a bad name throughout the country. The sad thing is its a minority of bowfishermen causing the problems.





Mike Berg



PS: I think bowfishing is a fun passtime, and hopefully will not get so much bad press that it gets stopped.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: AskAGFC < AskAGFC @agfc.state.ar.us>
To: bergmichael@att.net
Sent: Tue, August 24, 2010 10:28:44 AM
Subject: RE: Buffalo fish



Michael,

Thank you for your comments regarding the regulation on wasting edible portions of buffalo. On August 19, 2010, the AGFC Commissioners voted to approve this proposed regulation and it will go into effect January 1, 2010. Reasons why we proposed this regulation are that many bowfishers fish for buffalo and and from a biological standpoint, the more rough fish removed from a body of water makes it more productive for sportfish. Every year, we propose new regulations in April, then during the entire month of May we take in public comments. I will save this email for next year’s public comment cycle.



Thank you for your interest,



Andrea C. Daniel

Fisheries Staff Biologist

AR Game and Fish Commission

#2 Natural Resources Dr.

Little Rock, AR 72205

(O) (501) 223-6409

© (501) 680-1910

(F) (501) 223-6461

1-800-364-GAME







Kim Cartwright

Media Specialist

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

501-978-7334 (office)

501-246-0822 (cell)

www.Facebook.com/ARGameandFish

www.Twitter.com/ARGameandFish


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Michael Berg [mailto:bergmichael@att.net]
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 10:57 PM
To: AskAGFC
Subject: Re: Buffalo fish



Hi Kim,



I am just agenst the waste, also buffalo are bice fish to eat (smoked, I make it for a wild game dinner - one of the first things to go.) and its fun to ceatch too.



Mike



Link here:
http://www.swtimes.c...1cc4c03286.html




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: AskAGFC < AskAGFC @agfc.state.ar.us>
To: Michael Berg <bergmichael@att.net>
Sent: Mon, August 23, 2010 4:58:48 PM
Subject: RE: Buffalo fish

Hi Michael, please provide a reference.



Kim Cartwright

Media Specialist

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

501-978-7334 (office)

501-246-0822 (cell)

www.Facebook.com/ARGameandFish

www.Twitter.com/ARGameandFish


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Michael Berg [mailto:bergmichael@att.net]
Sent: Saturday, August 21, 2010 9:59 PM
To: AskAGFC
Subject: Buffalo fish



Why would you allow this!



"Allowed the discarding of edible portions of buffalo fish. Other rough fish can be discarded, but buffalo had been excepted."



I am a fishermen, and I also enjoyed bowfishing from time to time, but I feel this will encourage people to keep more fish then they can use.



Bowfishing gets a bad name by bowfishermen shooting large amounts of fish and then wasting them.



In a world full of animal activists, sportsmen have to watch what they do. Otherwise the nonfishing or hunting public (almost everyone in large cities) that right now don't care either way could be swayed into thinking all hunting & fishing is bad. It is also ethically wrong to kill something and then just waste it.



The fish could be donated to soup kitchens, or other charities, in order to help Americans out of work. The flesh of the buffalo is excellent tablefare, especially when smoked.



Buffalo are also native fish to Arkansas , it is not like they are an invasive species pushing our native fish out!



Please reconsider this decision, and include all other native fish as well.



Mike Berg

#14 Guest_mywan_*

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Posted 27 April 2011 - 07:22 PM

The response said something that is just wrong.

Reasons why we proposed this regulation are that many bowfishers fish for buffalo and and from a biological standpoint, the more rough fish removed from a body of water makes it more productive for sportfish.


Buffalo are benthic feeders eating copepods and even phytoplankton. So not only are they not competing directly with sportfish but the eggs and later fry they produce from these spawns is an important food source for several sportfish. The above statement makes the absurd assumption that removing one fish at one trophic level adds room for another fish from an entirely different trophic level. It is far more often the case that species in the same habitat from different trophic levels are dependent on each other to maintain high population levels of both. The sportfish, much more often being piscivores, are far more dependent on insectivores and planktivores to increase the available food supply they are dependent on. You are not going to get more piscivores by making piscivores eat insects and algae for lack of their usual food sources, they die first.

Perhaps the absurdity of that statement needs to be pointed out to him. In fact I think I will.

#15 Guest_Mike_*

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Posted 27 April 2011 - 09:09 PM

That was a great point, I wish I said that to them.

#16 Guest_rjmtx_*

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Posted 28 April 2011 - 06:29 AM

I guess in Arkansas they're still using 1960s fisheries management. They need to do some reading...

#17 Guest_mywan_*

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Posted 28 April 2011 - 08:30 AM

I guess in Arkansas they're still using 1960s fisheries management. They need to do some reading...

The sad thing is that in Arkansas they still have a lot of very pristine environments with the opportunity to manage them better than most of the rest of the country for the future.

My family has loads of family owned land sitting on a tributary of the Buffalo river up there. Just a few years ago you could not even find the land on google maps because you could not distinguish it within the sea of trees. Now you can easily see the boundaries on google as the tree boundary. Who cut that many trees and why over such a large area so fast I have no idea.

#18 Guest_Casper_*

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Posted 16 January 2014 - 06:26 PM

An old post but still relevant as the Spring 2014 Buffalo Run is fast approaching. 3 of us are looking at renting the cabin mentioned in the post earlier and hope to repeat some of the affairs. Easter weekend is April 18, 19 and 20. The Buffalo historically average a 2 day run on April 8 and 9 but many variables can and likely will alter that date. I have never been during the intense tens of thousands of Buffalo Run, but even for a week or 2 after is of interest. There has also begun spawning activity of other species as well but dang that water is cold cold cold.



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